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New Renton Transit Center opens

Metro and Sound Transit buses will fill these bus bays when the new Renton Transit Center officially opens Sept. 29. Seventeen routes will serve this transportation hub, which uses craftsman-style design elements to create an identifiable image for downtown Renton. In the background is the Metropolitan Place apartment complex, which sits above 150 new King County park-and-ride spaces that opened Aug. 1.

After nearly 11 months of construction, the ribbon was cut on Metro's new Renton Transit Center on Saturday, Sept. 15th.

Located at South Second Street and Burnett Street in downtown Renton, the overall project includes expansion of the old transit center, with improvements to parking lots, plaza areas and the street intersection. The project also features new passenger shelters, landscaping, artwork that depicts Renton's history and other amenities for transit customers and pedestrians.

The Transit Center design--a mid-block cut-through parallel to Third Street between South Burnett and Logan avenues--provides maximum bus routing flexibility and creates the opportunity to make an architectural statement through the provision of a continuous covered walkway. About 40 public parking spaces are provided on either side of the cut-through area. The estimated construction cost for the new Renton Transit Center is $3.5 million, funded by the city and county as well as state and federal grants.

The renovated Renton Transit Center was completed by Metro in partnership with the City of Renton, Dally Homes and the citizens of Renton. It will officially open for business on Sept. 29th.

Across the street from the renovated transit center is a transit-oriented development built by Dally Homes, known as Metropolitan Place. The new development includes 90 apartments, about 3,500 square feet of ground-level retail space and a parking garage. While the parking/apartment development is privately owned and operated, King County is leasing 150 of the stalls for park-and-ride use during the day.

At the ribbon cutting, Metro staff were on hand to discuss transit security, explain the upcoming improvements in bus service for the Renton area and show off the latest clean-air technology for buses. Entertainment was supplied by a talented jazz band composed entirely of Metro bus drivers.

Related links

King County Transit Oriented Development Program
New Commuter Parking in Downtown Renton
"Transit center dedication," Renton Reporter, Sept. 13, 2001
"Renton on a roll - City to see development boom in its 100th year," South County Journal, Jan. 1, 2001
"Renton's 'urban village' to grow," South County Journal, July 24, 2000
"Combined-use sector aimed at revitalizing downtown Renton: Transit access touted as key to success of Metropolitan Place," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 25, 2000
"From used-car mosh pit to Eastside urban center," Seattle Times, July 17, 2000
"In August, Renton will start building $3M transit center," Daily Journal of Commerce, July 11, 2000
"Renton ratchets up to ride the wave," Daily Journal of Commerce, Feb. 24, 2000

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